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He lost two Champions League finals with Valencia in 2000 and 2001 — the second when his final penalty in the shootout was saved by Bayern Munich’s Oliver Kahn.

Pellegrino did win the Uefa Cup with Valencia in 2004 — adding to two La Liga titles at the Mestalla under Benitez in 2002 and 2004 plus another with Barca in 1999 — before cutting his teeth in coaching alongside Benitez at Anfield.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was a team-mate of Pellegrino’s during his season at the Nou Camp and already showing signs of becoming one of the great minds in European football.

The Argentine said: “Pep, as a player, was the type who loved the game — he wanted to know everything about the others.

“He was always asking about Argentine managers and how we were training at this moment. That detail surprised me.

"He helped me a lot to adapt to Barcelona because when I came from Argentina it was really difficult to switch to a different culture on and off the pitch.

Mauricio Pellegrino won Euro honours with Valencia in a fine playing career

“For me his biggest talent as a coach is his capacity to translate his ideas to the players and convince them. This is the most difficult thing to do in management — to convince players.”

Pellegrino admires how no amount of public pressure distracts Guardiola from his beliefs or convictions — dropping England keeper Joe Hart being a prime example.

He added: “Pep follows the same line always. When he’s convinced about something, you must follow him. In football, the nice thing is that there’s no such thing as the truth — there are different ways to arrive at the same result.

“Ideas are different. Every single person is different. My idea might not be the best one for you, but it doesn’t mean that either of us is wrong. We can learn from each other.”

A young Jose Mourinho was Van Gaal’s assistant when Pellegrino was at Barca.

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But his desire to manage in England one day is clear.

He added: “I started my management career at Valencia fighting for titles and Champions League football. And I was in Argentina for three years, one club playing to win the title, the other to avoid relegation.

“The Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world and to be there and be part of it is important.

“I’d like to be there one day. I must say that.

“But I’m enjoying this moment at Alaves because our future in this profession is not like that of an engineer or a doctor — we cannot work in this job for 30, 40 years.